Animation Adds Interest to Retail Emails

Email volume was way up this holiday season and made it more important than ever to grab a recipient's attention quickly. Increasingly, the way to do this is through animation. I've seen an increase in animation in email by retailers and wanted to share a few examples. 

One of the trends I noticed was animation for the call to action, or to highlight the offer. J. Jill had a 5 days of gifts promotion, and animated the countdown in the series of emails.

 

 

 

Here's the animated section in action:

In this email from Boden, they use animation to reinforce the urgency of the one-day deal. The text changes from Monday to One Day to Today. Click the email to see the animation.

Another trend was animating products, like in this Coldwater Creek example, where the sweaters stack up. Click the image to see the animated version. 

Then there are animated design elements. OpenSky has been experimenting with adding subtle animation to their hero images. This example features host and hostess gifts and uses an image of the ribbons from the gift box blowing in the wind.

In this example from CVS, to emphasize their gift card offer, they add a garland of animated gift cards at the bottom of the section. Click the email to view the animated version. 

 

Do you think we'll continue to see an increase in animated elements in email? I'd love to see any examples that cut through the clutter in your inbox this holiday. 

 

Liz Lynch, senior marketing communications associate,

e-Dialog, @eDialogLiz

 

 

Christmas Fun: The Grinch's Inbox

You may have seen Mark Brownlow’s series on famous inboxes, including Darth Vader and Elizabeth Bennet. We were inspired by Mark’s creativity to put our own spin on a holiday version and created what we think the Grinch’s inbox might look like.

 

 
 

Marketing Wrap-up: Week of December 23, 2011

Before you all rush home to your friends and family, here is one last post to sum up the week in links. Keeping it short and sweet; Merry Christmas and to all, a happy new year.

 

1. Yule want to try this – Xmas tips for marketers by our very own Senior Creative Designer Elliot Ross. The Drum

2. 11 things Santa won’t bring you this year … You won’t be too disappointed. Econsultancy

3. If you’re like me, this might come in handy: 22+ last-minute gifts you can send via email Mashable

4. 5 ways to generate sales leads with mobile Mashable

5. ICO updated guidance on cookies: DMA, ICO, Smart Insights

6. 6 E-CRM trends to consider for 2012 planning Smart Insights

7. It takes more than a loyalty scheme to keep hold of your consumers: Loyalty schemes don’t create loyal consumers, says Ipsos MORI Econsultancy

8. Infographic -> The anatomy of a perfect landing page Formstack

9. Email is more popular than beer... and other fun facts from Email Marketing Reports

10. Is batch and blast such a bad thing? The Future is not one to one ClickZ

 

Let us know your favorite articles from this week.

 

Millie Bartlett, Marketing Coordinator, e-Dialog UK

 

Is Facebook Hiding Your Email Messages?

Facebook Messages has been around for about a year now, and there was a lot of talk when it launched about how different types of messages from different recipients were managed and categorized by Facebook into either the Messages folder or the Other folder. We even wrote a pretty detailed piece about it. But suddenly, people seem really surprised that messages they want to see aren't being presented to them because they are showing up in the Other folder.

This story reminded me of some recent research we did, in which we asked consumers if they were aware of the filtering tools offered by their email clients that could help them prioritize email messages. The results were pretty surprising. More than 30% of respondents in the US and UK said no, and more than 40% in APAC said they were not aware.

For me, the key take-away from these two points is that marketers can't assume that consumers know how to use technology in the best way, and that education is needed to help consumers have a beneficial relationship with brands. When Facebook Messages was launched, we recommended that marketers comb through their database and identify Facebook.com addresses and send them an email telling them how to ensure they receive the messages they opted in to. I think it's even more important now. 

 

I'm curious if any of you have looked at how many Facebook.com email addresses are in your database and any strategies you are using to make sure your messages get seen. Let me know in the comments!

 

Liz Lynch, senior marketing communications associate,

e-Dialog, @eDialogLiz

What Facebook's Timeline Cover Photo Means for Brands

With the official launch of Facebook Timeline for all users, there has already been speculation about when brand pages will get the Timeline treatment and what it means. That's not what this post is about. Instead, I want you to think about how brands can leverage the Timelines of individuals, and in particular, the prime real estate of the cover photo.

 

Brands on Facebook today drive engagement primarily via page likes, comments, and photo shares. But the cover photo presents a new opportunity for engagement. Consumers who love your brand can now make your imagery their own, enhancing your reach. VW was early to the party, offering a cover photo back in October. Mountain Dew is already on this, offering several versions of Dew-themed cover photos to their fans. HBO's True Blood is offering their fans images from the show for their cover photos as well. 

 

For email marketers, your images can do double duty. Retailers like The North Face often use a stunning hero image in their emails. Imagine offering that photo as a downloadable cover image. Other uses for the cover photo could be wish lists, product reviews, or purchased items. 

 

Then we get to contests. Contests are huge on Facebook. Certainly a brand could ask fans to create a cover image and those could be voted on and the winning image offered for download. I could also see posting a brand's cover image as a prerequisite for entering a contest, in the same way liking a page is now. 

 

And of course, there will be the "just for fun" options that can be a great way to keep fans engaged and checking in with you for new content. It could also be a way to reward brand advocates and super fans, by giving them an exclusive image for their page.

 

I'd love to hear what you think about these possibilities for the Timeline cover photo and any ideas you are thinking about. Leave me a comment!

 

Liz Lynch, senior marketing communications associate,

e-Dialog, @eDialogLiz

 

Marketing Wrap-up: Week of December 16, 2011

Only one shopping weekend until Christmas! I know we've all got a lot on our to-do list, so let's breeze through the top marketing moments of this week. 

First, Facebook is finally rolling out access to Timeline to everyone. Of course, there's been some griping about not understanding how to use it and why they changed it. I've had it for a while, so I'm used to it, and as I see it, being able to look back at your status updates and conversations does have value. I've been surprised how much I actually like it. And I love the large custom photo area at the top. I have a lot of ideas about how marketers can adapt and get consumers to use that space to share brand info, but that's a post for another day!

 

In other big news, Zynga has filed a $1 billion IPO. They are one of the most successful social gaming companies, but many have said their fortunes are too closely tied to Facebook, and while their games are played by millions, players complain new features are rolled out without fixing existing issues. Plus, working at Zynga is apparently no picnic. In early trading, the stock price rose, but then fell below the initial offering price. Time will tell if they will be a smart investment in the long term. 

 

In case you didn't know, today is Free Shipping Day, otherwise known as the last day you can use standard shipping to get your packages delivered by Christmas.  You can go to http://www.freeshippingday.com/ to see the list of more than 2,500 retailers participating. My inbox is overflowing with reminders about free shipping. I've also seen a lot of extensions, offering expedited free shipping up until December 22 in many cases. Retailers are also promoting in-store pick up for online orders as an alternative. 

 

And finally, because it's Friday and we can all use a bit of fun, check our our Build-your-own-snowman app! I'd love to see your creations-share them on our Facebook wall.

 

Liz Lynch, senior marketing communications associate,

e-Dialog, @eDialogLiz

Strategies for Winning Back Email Subscribers

The DMA (London, UK) put on their final seminar in the Email Customer Lifecycle series on the 22nd November. Eighty delegates were on hand to hear the presentations on how to improve their Win-Back efforts.

 

 

e-Dialog representatives Jill Brittlebank, Director of Strategic Services, presented the keynote speech and James Beauchamp, Strategy and Analytics Lead, presented relevant case studies. 

 

To find out more about the day's events, further details are here in an article posted on the DMA's Email Marketing Blog.

 

If you missed the presentations you can find them below:

 

Jill Brittlebank's keynote included identifying four types of win-back scenarios, the importance of understanding the purchase funnel, and how to define an inactive email subscriber. View the presentation below.

DMA Win-back Keynote

View more presentations from e-Dialog

 

 

James Beauchamp presented case studies from several well-known brands, and reminded marketers of six key questions to ask when developing a win-back strategy, such as what is the desired response, and what's in it for subscribers? View the presentation below.

 

DMA Win-back Examples

View more presentations from e-Dialog

 

 

Millie Bartlett, Marketing Coordinator, e-Dialog UK, @eDialogEurope

 

Green Monday: How Did You Celebrate?

Well, apparently Black Friday and Cyber Monday are not big enough, because now there's Green Monday, the newest "big" shopping day of the holiday season. You probably celebrated without even knowing it!

 

The term Green Monday supposedly originated because it is the last day before Christmas to purchase a gift that will arrive in time using standard shipping. But with so many free shipping offers this year, does it still ring true that Green Monday will be one of the season's biggest shopping days? Plus, there's Free Shipping Day to think about, coming up this Friday, December 16th. 

 

So far, marketers don't seem to be promoting Green Monday the same way they have Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Kmart and Sears prepared special deals for last minute shoppers and extended their shipping deadlines. They also promoted their "Ready in 5" in-store pickup option for online orders. 

My inbox was not showing a lot of green on Monday, but there were a few examples. The first is from the Food Network Store. It was pretty basic, and actually didn't use any green in the creative, instead sticking with the traditional red. 

Justice, a retailer of girl's apparel, was a little more colorful. They featured Green Monday in the copy and put the shipping deadlines right up front. Interestingly, the Green Monday sale is online only, but they also offer an in-store coupon for the same dates and percentage off the purchase.

 

Finally, Miles Kimball sent a Green Monday-themed message. I like that they give the deadlines for shipping for both personalized and non-personalized items. 

 

Do you think Green Monday will become as familiar to consumers as Black Friday and Cyber Monday? I'd love to hear your take-just leave a comment.

 

Liz Lynch, senior marketing communications associate,
e-Dialog, eDialogLiz 

Marketing Wrap-up: Week of December 9, 2011

One week closer to Christmas and one sentence closer to 10 links that will inspire you digitally. This week we have been gifted with reflections on the past year and predictions for the next. In the next few minutes you will see some valuable stats and interesting findings that you can take with you until next time. As always, enjoy:

 

Top 10 links of the week:

1. Who are you rooting for? The Tech Wars of 2012 Fast Company

2. ClickZ reflect on the innovations in email of 2011

3. In case you hadn’t heard - Facebook buys Gowalla Brand Republic

4. Ever wondered how to use social media for better customer acquisition? Mashable

5. Email marketing: 4 steps to manage your inactive subscribers. Inbox Group

6. Your complete guide to measuring email marketing success HubSpot

7. If you’ve got it… Data should flaunt its geek chic MarketingWeek

8. Maybe a bold statement, what do the creative folk make of this one? The only email design tips you will ever need to succeed EmailBlog.eu

9. Great stats -  Mobile and iPad email use spikes MediaPost

10. Consumer expectations are not being met - Consumers are now less forgiving of a poor mobile experience UTalkMarketing

10.5 One to see you well in to the Christmas season – If Santa was an email marketer…  Email Marketing Reports

 

Have any views on this week's links? What was your favourite article of the week? We would love to hear from you so be sure to drop a comment below.

 

See you next time.

 

Millie Bartlett, Marketing Coordinator, e-Dialog UK, @eDialogEurope

Finding the Holiday Fun in my Inbox

I’m done holiday shopping.  It is a new record for me, and I’m not going to lie – it feels good!  I shopped at the mall Black Friday Weekend and I “celebrated” Cyber Monday.  I scoured my email for coupons, promo codes and free shipping deals to get the best prices.  Now that I’m done, I can focus on the fun in my inbox!

 

The first “fun” I came across was in an email from White House | Black Market:

 

They created a Facebook-based application where customers drag-and-drop items to generate a personalized wishlist.

 

This wishlist is, of course, share-able to your wall:

 

The SC Johnson family also got into the fun on Facebook by allowing customers to create a mood board based on their favorite Glade fragrances.  This really struck a chord with me – since I’m done with shopping – now it’s time to concentrate on decorating!

 

The email directed consumers to Facebook:

 

Once on the site, you select different room scenes and decorate them using furniture, trimmings and Glade products.

A few companies used contests or sweepstakes to draw interest to their product offerings.  The Limited sponsored a “Holiday Wishlist Facebook Giveaway”.  Just “Like” their page to enter for a chance to win a prize a day.

 

Others used Twitter and YouTube to promote their holiday initiatives.  Bed Bath & Beyond asked subscribers to follow them on Twitter using a cute play on decorating your nest:

 

Finally, there was the just plain silly.  Walmart added a banner to their email to encourage views of a holiday “Yodeling Cat”. (While I don't see any real added value here, the link is here in case you just can’t resist!)

 

 

Overall, companies are using email to broadcast their social programs this season.  This makes sense because the overlap between email is social is only around 18%, according to
e-Dialog’s primary research.  Furthermore, email is typically the first medium a customer chooses to interact with.  Seventy-five percent of respondents said they signed up for email before they investigated the company’s social presence. (Source: Deciphering Customer Acquisition: Connecting Acquisition Across Email, Social and Mobile, e-Dialog © 2011) 

 

So, I will continue to kick-back and watch the fun file into my inbox!  What is your favorite interactive holiday activity to date? 

 

Lauren Pizzi, e-Dialog

 

 

'Twas the Month Before Christmas: A Deliverability Tale

‘Twas the month before Christmas, when all through the land,

marketers were scheming to hit year-end plans.

 

Their e-mails were designed in great detail and care,
in hopes that all of their customers soon would be there.

 

Mail the entire list. Mail them all!
Mail away! Mail away! Mail away all!"

 

The executives were nestled all snug in their beds, 
with visions of Q4 revenue dancing in their heads.

 

When back in the office arose such a clatter, 
that delivery support ran to see what was the matter?

 

Away to their reporting tools they flew like a flash, 
investigating each client’s mailing to look for the trash.

 

The data before them on the newly sent mail
gave all indications of why they did fail.

 

When what to their wondering eyes should appear,
but a slew of bounce codes that no one would endear.

 

Unknown User! Inactive Account! Mailbox Doesn’t Exist!
Blocks from the ISPs were hard to resist.

 

If only they’d listened and segmented their data.
Their mailing would have been delivered,
staying off of the ISP’s radar.

 

Relevance, hygiene, permission and more,
ultimately gets the campaign safely out the door.

 

Reach out to your clients now and give them a shout.
Make sure they understand what this is all about.

 

Eliminate unknown users, non-responders, and hard bounces alike, and watch delivery and response rates soar and spike.

 

It is important to take heed of this trustworthy advice,
because the ISPs know if you’re naughty or nice.

 

During this important mailing season we must get it right.
Happy Holidays to all, and to all a good-night!

 

 

Marketing Wrap-Up: Week of December 2, 2011

Wow-here it is, December. We made it through Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Congrats all! However, we can't claim success yet. We've still got three more weeks until Christmas. Here are my top stories to keep you going this week.

 

First, the good news: email isn't dead! Of course, we knew it wasn't but here's a handy infographic you can produce whenever someone tries to tell you email will be extinct by 2015.

 

In social media news, this week Facebook reached an agreement with the FTC regarding privacy policy changes and how they are implemented. So now when they change something on Facebook, you'll have to opt-in, rather than scramble to figure out the new settings after they've been applied to your account. I think it's a good thing, since giving people more control will help people feel more comfortable sharing their online info, which benefits all of us. I think this Mashable article says it all with this quote "While that sounds like a chilling message, it’s really just a long-overdue standardizing of the practice of opt-in. The smarter companies already know this: that customers who opt-in are more engaged and ultimately more valuable than customers who simply don’t opt-out. Besides, when given the option, users tend to share whatever information they’re asked to share, so, even putting the ethics aside, there’s little need for deception."

 

On the mobile front, news came this week of an app called CarrierIQ that is installed on many phones, and it was alleged that it has the ability to track not only location, but also activity, including keystrokes. That information could then be shared with carriers without the user's knowledge. It's meant as a diagnostic tool for carriers, but the possibility of misuse creeped a lot of people out. The company has issued statements clarifying that while information is tracked, it is not stored or transmitted, and most of the carriers that use it are only seeing aggregated data. Another example of how not being transparent about privacy and personal information can backfire. 

 

I hope you've enjoyed my picks for this week. As always, I would love your feedback and what you think the top story was this week.

 

Liz Lynch, senior marketing communications associate,

e-Dialog, @eDialogLiz

From Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday, Email Volume Is Up

According to reports, holiday 2011 is off to a strong start, with good retail sales numbers for the days of Black Friday through Cyber Monday. comScore reported shoppers spent more than a billion dollars on Cyber Monday alone, which is an increase of 22% over 2010 and the heaviest online spending day in history. Email marketing is certainly helping drive a good portion of this ecommerce activity, and at e-Dialog, we are seeing the traditional email volume increases associated with the Christmas shopping season. Let's take a look at some numbers.

 

For Thanksgiving and Black Friday this year, the total amount of email sent globally by e-Dialog increased more than 50% over the same days in 2010. We saw a lot of emails promoting a "Why Wait?" message, encouraging consumers to head into stores that were open on Thanksgiving, or offering Black Friday deals online before Friday. Another strong message was free shipping, which was to be expected, since that is something that helps seal the deal for consumers.

 

For Saturday and Sunday, email volumes were also higher than the same dates last year, but "only" by about 30%. Messages were mostly either extending Black Friday deals, or hyping the upcoming Cyber Monday promotions. Cyber Monday itself was again a high-volume mailing day, with e-Dialog clients sending 30% more email than Cyber Monday 2010. It set a record here at e-Dialog for the most emails we've ever sent in a 24-hour span.

 

Overall, looking at the past five days, we've seen email volume surpass 2010 by an average of 30%. It is hard to tell at this point if shoppers will get overwhelmed with all the mail being delivered to their inboxes. Interestingly, we did see an increase in transactional messages, which by definition are more personalized and relevant, so perhaps there won't be any email fatigue happening.

 

What do you think? Are marketers balancing the increase in frequency with an increase in relevance? Can the current email volume be sustained through the end of the year?